Back after Christmas holidays, after all the sweets and cakes and food eaten at home I really needed to have something healthy… and what it is better than this nutritious soup. “Barley and beans minestra” is a typical winter dish from Trieste (in the region Veneto, North East of Italy near the border with Slovenia). This was initially prepared by my grandma when I was little, then by my mom… and now I picked it up.
BARLEY AND BEANS MINESTRA
(for 4 people)
Ingredients: 200 g pearl barley, 200 g dry Borlotti beans (you have to use Borlotti beans for this recipe), 1 onion, meat broth, a piece of prosciutto crudo better if with bone (raw ham that is cured and ready to eat), extra-virgin olive oil, 3 dry bay leaves, salt, pepper.
Soak the beans and the barleys in separate pots for few hours (you can put them in water the evening before and leave them the whole night until you will begin to cook minestra).
In a large and deep pot put some extra-virgin olive oil and the chopped onion, cook until the onion is tender and has a golden color. Now you can drain the Borlotti beans and put them in the pot, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add meat broth, bay leaves, pepper and the piece of prosciutto crudo. Bring the pot to a slow boil without stirring it and let it simmer gently, cook for about 1 hour. At this point you can drain the barley and add it to the minestra and cook until barley is tender (about 45min), stir frequently. Add salt at the end if necessary (prosciutto crudo is quite salty so you might not need to add more salt). When the soup is done let it rest for 5 minutes before serving it.
(for 4 people)
Ingredients: 200 g pearl barley, 200 g dry Borlotti beans (you have to use Borlotti beans for this recipe), 1 onion, meat broth, a piece of prosciutto crudo better if with bone (raw ham that is cured and ready to eat), extra-virgin olive oil, 3 dry bay leaves, salt, pepper.
Soak the beans and the barleys in separate pots for few hours (you can put them in water the evening before and leave them the whole night until you will begin to cook minestra).
In a large and deep pot put some extra-virgin olive oil and the chopped onion, cook until the onion is tender and has a golden color. Now you can drain the Borlotti beans and put them in the pot, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add meat broth, bay leaves, pepper and the piece of prosciutto crudo. Bring the pot to a slow boil without stirring it and let it simmer gently, cook for about 1 hour. At this point you can drain the barley and add it to the minestra and cook until barley is tender (about 45min), stir frequently. Add salt at the end if necessary (prosciutto crudo is quite salty so you might not need to add more salt). When the soup is done let it rest for 5 minutes before serving it.
N.B. you can substitute the barley with small size pasta if you like, in this case pasta will be cooked for about 10 minutes.
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Info&Research: MINESTRA DI PASTA E FAGIOLI or simply pasta e fagioli.
Pasta e Fagioli (pasta and beans) is not just a soup. This initially unappealing brown concoction epitomises the essence of northern Italian, and particularly, Veneto cooking.
After the discovery of America, maize was introduced to Europe. The Veneto peasants made it an important crop, chiefly for polenta and animal fodder. In subsistence farming every opportunity had to be exploited to the utmost degree. Hence beans were planted with the maize. On average, it was one bean plant to every sixth cornstalk so that the beanplant was supported as it grew. After the maize cobs were harvested, the farmer would return to collect the baskets upon baskets of beans, usually borlotti. They were dried in their pods , which were spread on every bit of pavement in the yard to absorb the autumn sun and then stored for winter.
During the miserably cold winter months the fagioli pot would bubble on the hot surface of the "cucina povera" almost every day. In January, after the slaughter of the pig, various bits of pork - all the bones, trotters, ears and cheeks - would find their way into the soup. The bones flavoured the soup and the bits of meat provided extra protein, or at least the illusion of having eaten meat with one's meal. Pasta e Fagioli can be prepared ahead, even a couple of days, and it improves on keeping.
After the discovery of America, maize was introduced to Europe. The Veneto peasants made it an important crop, chiefly for polenta and animal fodder. In subsistence farming every opportunity had to be exploited to the utmost degree. Hence beans were planted with the maize. On average, it was one bean plant to every sixth cornstalk so that the beanplant was supported as it grew. After the maize cobs were harvested, the farmer would return to collect the baskets upon baskets of beans, usually borlotti. They were dried in their pods , which were spread on every bit of pavement in the yard to absorb the autumn sun and then stored for winter.
During the miserably cold winter months the fagioli pot would bubble on the hot surface of the "cucina povera" almost every day. In January, after the slaughter of the pig, various bits of pork - all the bones, trotters, ears and cheeks - would find their way into the soup. The bones flavoured the soup and the bits of meat provided extra protein, or at least the illusion of having eaten meat with one's meal. Pasta e Fagioli can be prepared ahead, even a couple of days, and it improves on keeping.
11 comments:
Ben tornata, Orchidea!
Eh eh eh, meno male che ci pensiamo io e te a produrre energia naturale per il pianeta, a base di fagioli :-DDD!
Che bella la frutta secca del bannerino! Buon anno, un baciotto.
Beans soup is typical winter dish in Bulgarian too. Sometimes I prepare it with trotters. I like to read your blog. Best wishes from Bulgaria
mi fa caldo questa zuppa, me ne servirebbe un bel piatto fumante per pranzo
Buona la minestra d'orzo. Mi hai ispirato e stasera me ne cucino un pó, perché fa proprio freddo qui e una bella minestra é quello che serve!!!
Saluti
Re
Buongiorno,
ottima ricetta per me che in questi giorni sono alla ricerca di zuppe!!!
Your soup looks so delicious! And I agree.. it's the perfect dish for the days following all the goodies that the holiday brought. =)
Pasta e fagioli is something that's been on my to try-list forever and now I really will. Almost a shame it's so warm here, I bet this soup is a fantastic winter warmer!
I see a beautiful family history in this soup!
OTTIMA...niente altro, oltre ai complimenti!! Ste-
Ivonne, thanks.
Cannella, è si se non ci fossimo noi... Grazie, è una foto che ho fatto proprio prima di Natale.
Svetlana, thanks. I checked your blog... I am very interested in other countries recipes so I put your link on my blog. I hope it is ok for you.
Francesca, grazie. Te lo mando virtualmente.
il maiale ubriaco, grazie mille! Contentissima che ti sia piaciuta.
Saffron, grazie. Ne arriveranno altre... sono nella fase ZUPPE.
Lis, thanks a lot.
Honeybee, thanks. You will have to try it... it is great! But it true... it is perfect for a cold winter day.
Gattina, thanks. Yes... like many other dishes.
Ciao.
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